Hello from Storrington

I am about to fall asleep here, and I’m going to need it for tomorrow. Lauren and I are going up to Surrey with our English boss’s wife Elizabeth to set up for Saturday’s Big Bead Show, the largest beading event in the United Kingdom, that our company puts on twice a year. We’ll be at the show too, of course. Then it’s a day of rest, then I’ll be on to Berlin for two nights, then home to Minnesota. As much as I hate to admit I have to leave the UK at some point.

I suppose it’s been awhile since I’ve written on here, not since I wrote about giving up Facebook for Lent. Things have certainly progressed since that point. I got a promotion, of sorts, and I’m now the editor of Bead Me Magazine (www.beadme.tv) instead of sub-editor, which I was before. It’s been nice to have a title and know exactly what I’m focusing on, rather than depending on others to hand me work. If you know me well, you know that I’m an independent personality, and I also don’t want to let anyone down. I take pride in my work, and this promotion makes me feel truly valued. I’ve put out one issue already and plan to stick with it for as long as I can. In the 10 months since I graduated from Luther, I never imagined I would have “Editor” as my job title so soon, nor that I’d be back living in the Midwest and travelling to the UK. What did I tell you about staying positive? 🙂

We have spent this week staying at our boss’s home in Storrington, in southern England, and working with the team here. It’s so good to connect with them face-to-face and resolve some small technical issues, plus they’re such sweet people. I’m so grateful for their hospitality and their beautiful home. And being here has helped me understand just how Ashdown really works, or rather that I didn’t fully get it before. I’m just way too happy. If all goes well, this won’t be the only time I come here.

I don’t have much to say beyond that. I need to get some sleep since tomorrow is a busy day. Still trying to adjust to how everyone drives on the “wrong” side of the road, not to mention the streets are much narrower than those in the States. But I love riding around looking out at the homes and the landscape and feeling like I’m lost in a book. I’ll never forget this trip.